Educational background: Bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University; master’s from State University College at New Paltz; certificate of advanced studies from State University College at Oswego.

What was the best part about your job? Being with kids. They are such a delight. They lift your spirits every day.

What job did you have before becoming principal of Holy Cross School? I was principal at Wellwood Middle School for 20 years.

Now that your retired, what type of activities/hobbies do you plan on doing? Daryll, my wife, also retired at the same time I did. We took a week’s vacation right away — went to Tanglewood to hear the Boston Pops and James Taylor and Garrison Keillor, and then on to Cape Cod at Ocean Edge. We now walk to daily Mass at 9, golf three to four times and week and are working on organizing our house.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a principal? Hoping that what you do and how you lead will provide an atmosphere of caring, love and compassion. You know that happens when you see it in their faces and actions each and every day.

What is one thing about Holy Cross School that makes it different from public schools? The relationship that develops with Christ. In a public school, that just can’t happen.

When you became the principal, what changes did you make? We changed the interior of the building to keep up with the times. We created a pre-kindergarten program, a library media center, redesigned the cafeteria with new paintings, flooring and portable furniture, air conditioned all the rooms, twice upgraded the technology lab and infrastructure, new classroom furniture, and last summer all new energy-efficient windows and doors, and painted the gym.

What feedback did you get from parents about Holy Cross School? It is an outstanding educational institution nationally accredited by the Middle States Association that has a warm, safe and caring environment for their children to be in.

What is the best advice you ever heard? Always remain calm and listen to all sides before making a decision, unless it is a crisis situation.

What advice do you give to young children of your school? Be yourselves. God made each one of you an individual, and that is what life is all about: dealing with many individuals at one time and learning to live with them despite your differences.

What are you passionate about? My family. I have a wonderful wife of 43 years, seven children who are all college graduates, five in education, one in retail business and the last one finishing up veterinary school in January, and six lovely granddaughters who all live in Manlius. We have been very fortunate with our children and grandchildren, and now plan on spending as much time with them as possible.

What is your key philosophy in life? Be kind and considerate to everyone and treat people how you would like to be treated.

What is the most important thing that Holy Cross teaches children? Love and respect for each other, the staff and most important the Lord.

What middle/high school do your students attend after graduating from your school? CBA, Bishop Grimes and Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School

Throughout the years of being a principal, what did you find was the most challenging aspect of the job? Resolving conflict. A principal needs to be able to do that all the time whether it is between students and teachers, parents and teachers, or students and students, and, sometimes, with me.

What kind of vacations do you plan on taking? We are going back to Cape Cod in August, to a B&B in Vermont in September and then on to Salem, Mass., to visit a daughter, to the University of Missouri to visit our son who is in veterinary school there and hopefully a trip abroad or cruise in the next year.